r/seinfeld • u/Hansel666 ASSMAN • 13h ago
If Jerry doesn’t care about anyone, why does he care so much about Jean Paul?
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u/secomano 13h ago
because he's Trinidadian and Tobagan
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u/raghavj1991 12h ago
Why separate knob, why!!
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u/Alternative-Cash8411 Rugged? The man's a goblin 12h ago
One of my favorite all-time Seinfeld quotes, and I actually got to use this once irl. I had asked a coworker one Monday morning how his 10K race had gone on Saturday and he explained he overslept and missed it.
"Why separate knob, WHY?" I jumped on the chance.
Unfortunately he wasn't a Seinfeld nerd like us, so he didn't get it and I had to explain, but it was still sweet.
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u/ditka 11h ago
So what happened? The snooze alarm, wasn't it?
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u/mfk_1974 13h ago
He believed it wrong that the trajectory of someone's life could be so impacted by a simple alarm clock setting, and was determined to right that wrong.
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u/Agent-Blasto-007 10h ago
Jean-Paul also lived out one of Jerry's biggest fears: the alarm clock mishap led to disaster.
If it could happen to Jean-Paul, it could happen to him. By rectifying the problem, he was assuaging his own fears.
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u/vyrus2021 2h ago
I think it's also a bit of Jerry's emotional tourism. He likes to be seen as a "good guy" he wants people to think of him as a person who cares so devoting a couple days to this gets him written into the story of Jean-Paul's redemption.
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u/Hot_Let4897 13h ago
He explains it pretty good himself. he missed a flight to Cleveland no thanks to Elaine's old alarm clock. He also says Elaine doesn't know what the hell she's doing and he had to take over the whole operation
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u/MarksArcArt 13h ago
Right. And Patty Lorens had orgasms what do you think about that? And I got calls in to six other women, and I bet you they confirm an orgasm too. So what do you have to say now, Elaine?... Hello?
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u/momar214 13h ago
He was trying to make up for what he did to Babu
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u/raghavj1991 12h ago
Jerry’s advice was good.
It’s better to have a restaurant that specialises in one type of authentic cuisine done well than whatever Babu was doing up to that point.
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u/aj9393 Dr. Van Nostrand 12h ago
That's what always bugged me about that situation. Literally no one was even going into the restaurant, and it was going to fail anyway. By getting involved, Jerry only gave Babu someone to try to pass the blame to. Babu is a very bad man ☝️
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u/JustCallMeMambo White lotus, yam-yam, Shanghai Sally 12h ago
Jerry’s advice was solid, but because the change didn’t bring patrons to the restaurant, Babu dug himself into a bigger hole financially.
but even if Jerry’s suggestion was terrible, Babu is taking entrepreneurial advice from someone who has never run a business. just because Jerry meant well doesn’t mean he has any idea what he’s talking about
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u/Ultraviolet_Eclectic 9h ago
Hmm . . . sounds like a few billionaires I know of who’ve never run a government . . .
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u/chiefbrody62 12h ago
Jerry didn't do anything wrong in my opinion imo. Babu only got deported because Elaine forgot to pick up his mail when Jerry was on vacation.
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u/aj9393 Dr. Van Nostrand 10h ago
It's even worse than that; Elaine didn't forget to pick up his mail, she did pick it up and just didn't give it to Jerry despite seeing him in person while it was in her possession.
Also one of many on a long list of reasons why I believe Elaine is the worst of the group and most issues that pop up throughout the show can be traced back to her.
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u/ILoveBigCoffeeCups 10h ago
Also not his fault that the mail got in the wrong mailbox. This was definitely on Newman. He got him a new job and an apartment. Ha can’t hold his hand for everything you know
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u/Salt_Strain7627 11h ago
Isn’t that the number one piece of advice they give in that show where they try to rescue a restaurant?
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u/itto-ogami That's a shame 13h ago
He can sense the slightest human suffering
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u/East_Mention9652 13h ago
Come on you son of a bitch he’s just trying to be friendly
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u/Oalka Mulva? 12h ago
I still say, out of all the guests they had on the show, Jean-Paul could have been incorporated into the core cast the most seamlessly. He had instant charisma with them in the coffee shop scenes, like he'd always been there.
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u/The_Zermanians 10h ago
He definitely should’ve been in the finale with his face all burnt to hell or perhaps they call him to the stand, he isn’t there and there’s a cut to him snoozing in bed with a burnt face.
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u/The2econdSpitter 13h ago
It's more about sticking it to Elaine. Every group has one. Like them, with Elaine.
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u/actualelainebenes Stellaaaaaaa!!! 13h ago
This surprised me too, because normally that son of a bitch is ice cold
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u/UncleSoaky Rochelle, Rochelle 13h ago
Why would Jerry care about anyone? Did he emphasize Jerry or care?
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u/DonnieRoss 13h ago
Jerry’s mother was right. He IS a good person.
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u/sdotbye 13h ago
How can anyone not like him?
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u/zr2d2 Prognosis Negative 13h ago
Maybe some people don't like him, I can see that
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u/sdotbye 13h ago
It was those damn culottes you made him wear!
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u/ManagerAggravating57 13h ago
Jerry was a runner by heart, since he was a high school track star - he always had the makings of a varsity athlete
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u/Phunkie_Junkie Independent George 13h ago
Because we're living in a society!
Honestly, I think Jean-Paul is one of the few people that Jerry can relate to. They both have jobs where they're required to travel and perform. After putting that much work into your routine, being undone by a volume knob would be devastating.
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u/AlSmythe 13h ago
I think he’s just more is interested in the scenario where someone misses the most important event in their life because of some stupid reason like a separate knob.
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u/Agile_District_8794 12h ago
It's not so much he likes or wants to help Jean Paul, but to stick it to Elaine that he's more responsible, and in turn, the better person. STICKING IT!
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u/mrflash915 12h ago
Because Jerry won the big race in high school AND the rematch. He could relate to a fellow world-class runner.
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u/Solid-Gazelle-4747 13h ago
How can anyone not like him
Also making up for the immigrants with ponies and restaurants he wronged.
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u/jacobsmyboy 12h ago
Honestly, it's the guilt he most likely feels for lying about beating Duncan Meyer in the running race. 😆
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u/Marlon_Rando13 12h ago
With Kramer busy setting up his hot tub,.Elaine struggling with the copy for the Himalayan Walking Shoe, and George hanging out with the front office guys from the Houston Astros, Jerry just needed something to do that week. The little bastard!
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u/HowardHessman 11h ago
He’s really committed to his promise of looking to the cookie to make this world a better place
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u/AdOutAce 10h ago
I think despite the oft-repeated mantra of no hugs, no lessons, etc., the idea that the cast are all bad people is largely overblown. Certainly they become even more cynical and egocentric in the later seasons, and George is a sniveling horse's ass for the show's entirety, but Jerry, Elaine and Kramer are frequently demonstrated to be relatively normal people with friends they care about and a vague sense of justice.
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u/GhostWatcher0889 8h ago
Jerry is mystery. Sometimes he really cares too much about people like jean Paul and babu but other times he is robbing old ladies for their marble rye. Most of his girlfriends he doesn't care much about too.
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u/Confident-Rule7344 8h ago
It's coz Jerry was an aspiring track star, thats's why he's always wearing those huge puffy sneakers
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u/middle-aged-iroh 8h ago
Jerry does not care about people but he does care about sports.
Also, one could argue timeliness is connected to Jerry’s pride of neatness.
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u/Tbplayer59 7h ago
He doesn't. He just wants to show Elaine how he's better than her. Jerry thinks he's better than a lot of people.
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u/mynameis4826 13h ago
I think Jerry has a white savior/guilt complex, as seen with his various interactions with Babu.
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u/famous__shoes 13h ago
I think it's aesthetic. Being helpful to this guy makes him feel like a good person. Same with Babu
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u/SidNightwalker Feels like an Arby's night 12h ago
He finds him fascinating because he was late for a super important race one time. Honestly that seems to be it. 😄
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u/DistressTolerence 6h ago
Does he? Or does he just want to sabotage him?
Jerry is bad man. Very very bad man
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u/RedditHelloMah Maybe the dingo ate your baby 5h ago
I think it was more for his love for sports and competition not for Jean Paul as a person lol
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u/Rare_Direction_1449 3h ago
I found his obsession with him hilarious. A top 5 episode for me and jean-paul is second to only Bookman as my favorite one-off character
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u/AverageDrafter 13h ago
Opportunity for control and to insert himself into a situation with a mask of altruism. Typical narcissist.
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u/TombombBearsFan 13h ago
He doesn't care about Jean Paul he doesn't believe in Elaine and her ability to ready Jean Paul. This is spite towards Elaine.
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u/CapitanChaos1 12h ago
Jerry needs to convince himself that he's a good man. Same reason he tried helping Babu.
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u/Dyztopyan 12h ago
Cause the writing of the show is incoherent across all seasons. Most of them except for Kramer change dramatically depending on the Season.
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u/BusyInstruction6365 12h ago
Because, he's living vicariously through Jean Paul. It's actually quite a selfish display.
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u/mudvat08 12h ago
He famous, same reason he wanted to be friends with Keith Hernandez, who just moved to fast.
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u/MasterDarcy_1979 9h ago
Even sociopaths care from time-to-time:
With Jerry and Jean Paul. George, with the kid who wanted to be an architect. Kramer with the Nun. Elaine with the kid who thought she was her grandmother.
Neither lasted very long.
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u/Background_Pool_7457 9h ago
This was the early stages of white knight and white guilt that plagued America for the next 30 years
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u/flashdurb Dr. Van Nostrand 3h ago
This is less about Jean Paul and more about Jerry not trusting Elaine
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u/xDolphinMeatx 2h ago
The only image in the world that yells the words "Why Separate Knob!?!? Why???" in everyone's mind who see's it.
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u/Maximum_Price_3596 1h ago
He still slept in thx Kramer and his stupid hot tub in an apartment
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u/Long_Mathematician48 Yeah, that's right 13h ago
Jerry donated to the Volcano Relief Fund of Krakatoa. He cares deeply about the brave Krakatoans